Integrated climate action concept
Integrated climate action concept
Climate protection concept published
University of Oldenburg on its way toward climate neutrality
Following the Senate's referral on 09 November, the University of Oldenburg's integrated climate protection concept was approved and adopted by the Presidential Board on 19 November 2022. With this, the University aims to achieve climate neutrality in 2030.
The concept development was accompanied by the Climate Neutral University working group. University members were invited to participate in the design of the concept through various participation formats. The concept is available in both a detailed version and an abridged version.
Background and development process
In spring 2020, following an initiative by the student representation in the senate, the decision was made to set up a Working Group Climate Neutral University which is to initiate and accompany the university's process towards climate neutrality. This initiative was accompanied by numerous activities in the area of climate protection, which were initiated and implemented from various areas of the university.
The working group then initiated a project within the framework of the Municipal Guideline of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) for the creation of a climate action concept. This concept should result in concrete and realistic, but ambitious goals and measures that will put the university on the path to climate neutrality. The project was approved for 01 June 2021.
Project profile
Title
KSI - Development of an integrated climate action concept for the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg
Goal
The aim of the project is to develop an integrated climate action concept (IKK) for the university. In doing so, the university aims to achieve climate neutrality.
Contents
With the involvement of the various stakeholders and university members, an integrated climate action concept will be drawn up within the framework of this project, which will cover the main areas (e.g. energy, mobility, etc.) with regard to greenhouse gas emissions.
To this end, a greenhouse gas balance sheet of the university will first be drawn up with external support so that the main fields of action can be identified. Then, in various participatory processes, concrete goals for reducing emissions are set and measures are developed based on them.
Interactive stakeholder participation and communication processes will take place throughout the project.
Duration
June 2021 - May 2023
Project executing agency
Formerly funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) based on a resolution of the German Bundestag, now by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairds and Climate Action (BMWK).
Funding code: formerly 03K16604, today 67K16604.
The National Climate Initiative
With the National Climate Initiative, the Federal Environment Ministry has been initiating and funding numerous projects that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions since 2008. Its programmes and projects cover a broad spectrum of climate protection activities: From the development of long-term strategies to concrete assistance and investment support measures. This diversity is a guarantee for good ideas. The National Climate Initiative contributes to anchoring climate protection on the ground. It benefits consumers as well as businesses, municipalities and educational institutions.
Fields of action
Within the framework of the project, 6 different fields of action were considered and included in the greenhouse gas balancing and the development of measures:
- Energy & Construction
- Ecology of the campus
- Everyday mobility
- International mobility
- Resources (procurement & disposal)
- Research, study & teaching
The area of university catering was initially still taken into account in the preparation of the greenhouse gas balance and the implementation of the measure workshops. For the development of the catalogue of measures and the final concept, this area was left out at the request of the Studentenwerk Oldenburg (SWO).
Participation process
During the development of the concept, there were regular opportunities for all university members to participate in the design. The breadth of participation is an essential element for the development and implementation of the concept and the offers were very well received. The long version of the concept lists in the appendix all the suggestions that were collected in the course of the participation process.
Action workshops
Action workshops
On 15 June and from 22 to 24 June 2022, a total of 7 different workshops on the various fields of action took place. The following fields of action were dealt with in the three-hour sessions:
- University Catering
- Energy & Construction
- Campus ecology
- Everyday mobility
- International mobility
- Resources
- Research, study & teaching
The workshops were advertised in advance through various channels so that all university members had the opportunity to register for one (or more) workshops. The workshops were well received and many people from different areas of the university took part in the workshops.
The results were then processed and used as a basis for developing the catalogue of measures.
Events
In addition to the action workshops, three other events were organised as part of the project until the concept was finalised.
Climate Kickstarter (04.11.2021)
The project was presented to the university public at the online event "Climate Kickstarter" on 04 November 2021. The large number of participants, over 200 people, was first welcomed by President Prof. Dr. Ralph Bruder. Afterwards, the head of the climate protection department of the city of Oldenburg gave a short impulse on the topic of climate neutrality in the city. The climate protection manager Anna Krämer then presented the project goals, steps and planned participation offers. The representatives of the AStA, Helena Post and Jonas Maenicke, supplemented the presentations with the student perspective. Finally, the participants had the opportunity to ask questions, make initial suggestions and discuss.
Climate Inventory (24.02.2022)
In the second online event, the climate protection manager presented the university's freshly completed greenhouse gas inventory on 24 February 2022. This event also attracted a great deal of interest from the university community. Following the presentation and the question and answer session, there was an opportunity to gather initial ideas and proposals for measures virtually in small groups. These could then be used as a basis for the action workshops.
Film screening NOW (19.05.2022)
In order to draw the attention of the group of students to the project in a more targeted way, the screening of the film "NOW" was offered as part of the project on 19 May 2022. Before the screening, Olympian and climate activist Carlotta Nwajide gave a short keynote speech and Lea Wieser moderated the subsequent Q&A session.
Boards and Commissions
During the development of the concept, the progress of the project was regularly presented to university committees such as the Senate and the Commission for University Development Planning. The democratically elected committee members were thus regularly kept up to date on the project, could ask questions and suggest discussion points. This concerned, for example, a general presentation at the beginning of the project, the presentation of the greenhouse gas balance or a first insight into the results from the workshop. On 09 November 2022, the Senate finally deliberated on the completed concept and spoke in favour of implementation.
Suggestions by mail
Since the project was announced, many university members have shown their interest in the topic and their commitment by sending in numerous suggestions and proposals by email. The most diverse fields of action were touched upon and a wide range of proposals for measures were submitted.
Poster show for the publication of the concept
In order to present the climate protection concept to the wider university public, the key points of the concept were recorded on a number of posters. The posters were put up and the concept displayed at the start of the 2023 summer semester with a travelling exhibition through the various university locations.
Working Group "Climate Neutral University
The Climate Neutral University working group was founded in the spring of 2020 to work out how the university can move towards climate neutrality. The working group initiated the application for the Integrated Climate Protection Concept project and closely accompanied the concept development process as a steering group. The working group was an important sounding board for the work of the climate protection manager in order to discuss the procedure and the progress of the project with the members of the various status groups. In addition to the Executive Committee, all status groups are represented in the working group, which usually meets once a month.
The Senate has also commissioned the working group to continue to act as a steering group for the follow-up project and the implementation of the measures from the climate protection project.
Members
- Jörg Stahlmann (Vice-President for Administration and Finance)
- Meik Möllers (Head of Building Management)
- Prof. Dr. Bernd Siebenhüner (Chair of Ecological Economics)
- Anna Sarah Krämer (Referent for the university's climate protection management)
- Prof. Dr. Jannika Mattes (Professor for Organization & Innovation)
- Dr. Herena Torio (Coordinator Postgraduate Programme Renewable Energy)
- Susanne Groß (MTV, Zoophysiology & Behaviour)
- Hannes Kath (WiMi, Department of Computer Science)
- General Students' Committee
- Students for Future